This study examined differences in the pattern of motion on upper limb when delivering smash, clear, and drop shots in badminton to provide data regarding the partial movements of the body as a basis for the prediction of shuttlecock trajectories. Seven male badminton players, belonging to a team ranked at the top in the All Japan Badminton Championships, were instructed to deliver these strokes to record the pattern of motion in each case using MAC3D System Cameras.
Significant differences in the shoulder abduction angle on the side of the dominant arm at impact were observed (p<0.05), as the values were lower when delivering drop compared with smash or clear shots. Significant differences were also observed in the shoulder horizontal flexion angle on the side of the dominant arm during the phase when the racket passes the playerʼs back preparing for impact (p<0.05), as the values were lower when delivering smash compared with drop or clear shots. Furthermore, the elbow angle significantly varied during the racket passes the playerʼs back preparing to impact of all phases of movement (p<0.05); while changes in the pattern of motion were similar between smash and clear shots, drop shots showed a tendency to slowly increase from the initiation of movement to impact.
Based on these results, the probability of a drop shot being delivered is high when the hand remains in a lower position, and that of a smash shot being delivered is high when the shoulder horizontal flexion angle is small in the case of overhead strokes.
